2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8 - Power To Burn

It wasn't for Jim Scurto, whose ideal Dodge Challenger SRT8 put out more from its 6.1 Hemi. "I had it all planned out," he recalls. "I ordered the color, and I just waited it for it to come in," he says.

2/14Engine: Jim heard a lot of good about Vortech’s V-3 supercharger, so it now sits atop his Arrington-headed (and cammed) Hemi. Stainless trim pieces by American Car Craft.

When his B5 Blue SRT8 came in, it didn't stay stock for long. Off came the Hemi's stock heads, replaced by Arrington's Stage 4 aluminum heads. Also going on was a Vortech V-3 supercharger. Jim says he went with Vortech, over other power-adders, thanks to its self-contained design, good reviews, and one friend's success with it. But, he adds, "You really have to get an aftermarket belt tensioner for it. I've destroyed two belts already."

An Arrington hydraulic roller camshaft and competition fuel pump, and a BBK 90mm throttle body, heavy-duty fuel rails and MSD "Blaster" coil packs also went on and in the SRT8's powerplant.

As modified, that 6.1L Hemi now puts out much more than the factory horsepower number. "I just had it dynoed at Ultimate Auto in Orlando, Florida, and it's putting out 560 horsepower to the rear wheels," says Jim. "So, that's pretty respectable." That respectable Hemi now resides in an engine bay treated to American Car Craft's custom stainless steel handiwork.

How does it run? "It runs like a raped ape," says Joe. "It runs in the low 11s (in the ¼-mile) right now." He adds that it's totally streetable. "It runs pretty good on the street, because I put the 2,800-stall converter in it. I didn't go with the 3,500 (stall one)," he says.

Not bad for a car that is his daily driver, as well as one of two Hemi-powered Challengers (the other's a 426 Hemi-powered '70 R/T) he owns. He adds that it got some special attention on a recent drive to Florida from Pennsylvania. "One cop stopped me in Georgia just to look at the car. He was on my bumper, so I said, 'I'll get out of his way,' so I jumped on it and got up to about a buck-twenty-five/buck-thirty (125-130 mph), and he put the blue lights on. He said, 'I just wanted to see how fast it was.' My heart was pumping a hundred miles an hour!"

Thinking of doing an SRT8 like Jim's? His advice: Do your homework first. "Don't rush into anything, because there's so much stuff out there for this car," he says.